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National Wildflower Week

Well, it’s probably better if you don’t hug a wildflower, just plant one. Or better yet, plant a whole bunch.

Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima)

No matter where you live in this great land, there are resources available to grow stunning North American wildflowers, either by seed or from container plants.

White Autumn sage (Salvia coccinea)

Click the “Garden Resources” tab on the menu bar of this blog for some suggested online resources or check out your County Extension Agent’s office for local sources of regional seeds and/or plants.

Blue curls (Phacelia congesta)

Locally owned nurseries and native plant organizations are ideal places to learn about wildflowers and how to grow them. The “how” is a snap–wildflowers belong here and usually grow easily, without lots of working or fretting.

Wild red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the premier source of information about North American wildflowers and native plants. It’s the go-to place for those interested in learning about our native plants and wildflower heritage.

It’s always good to have an excuse to laud native plants and wildflowers, isn’t it? Those blue curls! Weird story with them. A friend gave me two plants in four-inch pots in January or February. When she gave them to me, I noticed that the foliage was just like the foliage of a plant that had seeded itself into a pot with a golden sword yucca. So, I planted the two gifts and watched all three grow. The potted and volunteered blue curl bloomed first–and it is a blue curl. It’s just such an odd coincidence that of all the years I’ve lived and gardened here that one would volunteer the same time as two were given to me. The volunteer has bloomed and is now gone–I pulled it out because it was looking raggedy. The two gifts are still blooming–it’s been at least 6 weeks, maybe longer. They’re both multi-branched and in a mostly shady spot. I’m letting them seed out–I’ll let you know if there are seedlings next fall!

How wonderful to celebrate wildflowers in this way! You have some beautiful native flowers there. I share Tracy’s issues with chickens. Mine are wading their way through every bulb in the garden. If flattened, snapped flowers are your thing, I have them a-plenty! Happy national wildflower week!

Thanks, Sarah and I agree that we have a lovely and important natural heritage that should be protected and promoted. I’d love to have chickens, but until I have a large enough property to garden AND host chickens, I’ll just have to rely on nice friends who might share their eggs.